The Blaine County Journal News-Opinion - We've Got The County Covered

Seasonal work in an Alaskan fishery: "the key to making money is overtime!"

Megan Singh, a 2012 CHS graduate, spent part of last summer working as a processor at Leader Creek Fisheries in Naknek, Alaska. During the salmon run processors work 16 hour days, seven days a week at the processing and packaging plant. It was not uncommon to work 100+ hours per week during the salmon run. Since her return to Chinook she works for the Chamber of Commerce.

Reporter's note: For a couple of years my wife and I lived in the Seattle area. Reading the local papers I was always curious about the ads for temporary help on fishing boats, on canning ships and in fish processing plants both locally and in far flung areas of the world. I'll have to say my interest in working on a fishing boat cooled a bit after seeing the movie "Perfect Storm" and watching the "Deadliest Catch" TV series. However, my curiosity about the fishing industry in Alaska still persists.

When I interviewed Megan Singh a few weeks ago for a short story about her joining the Chin...